Woman Gets Six Years For Defrauding About $400K From Her Employer
January 4, 2024
A woman has been sentenced for stealing from her employer.
Escambia Circuit Judge Nobles sentenced Maria Del Carmen Williams to six years in state prison followed by 10 years of probation with $397,515.92 ordered in restitution for the crime of organized fraud and six counts of illegal use of personal identification information.
From April of 2019 through December 2021, Williams worked as the bookkeeper for Performance Personnel Services, LLC, a staffing company. Prosecutors said she engaged in a scheme to defraud by generating fraudulent payroll statements using the personal identification information of six victims. Shewould generate fake statement of earnings with the victims’ personal identification information indicating payment to workers. The money would instead be deposited into her bank account. Through these misrepresentations Williams was able to obtain just under $400,000 from her employer and hide her fraud for years. The state said she used the fraudulently obtained money to fund a plot of land, a 2011 Jaguar luxury car, shopping, restaurants, and other living expenses.
Century Council Elects President, Vice President
January 4, 2024
The Century Town Council has elected a president and vice president to lead the council for the new year.
Dynette Lewis was reelected as council president for another year, and Alicia Johnson was elected vice president.
Annually, the council reorganizes at their first meeting in January.
Pictured top: Dynette Lewis (left) and Alicia Johnson (right). NorthEscambia.com photos.
Man Killed In Deputy-Involved Crash In Escambia County
January 3, 2024
A 56-year-old Escambia County man is dead and a deputy is seriously injured after a crash early Wednesday morning.
The crash happened about 2:40 a.m. at the intersection of Beverly Parkway and W Street.
Sheriff Chip Simmons said deputy O’Brian Hill was responding with his emergency lights activated on a call to a vehicle theft in progress.
“He was traveling east on Beverly Parkway in the outside lane,” the Florida Highway Patrol said in a release. “As he entered the intersection, with a solid red light, he was struck on the driver’s side by [the van] that was traveling south in the outside lane of W Street.”
The driver of the van was unrestrained and ejected from his vehicle. Both were transported to the hospital where the van driver driver died. Hill was treated and released.
Hill, who has been a deputy for two years, is expected to make a complete recovery. He has been placeed on administrative leave during the investigation.
“We have an obligation to enter an intersection only when it is safe to do so,”Simmons said.. “That is the bottom line. We will cooperate with Florida Highway Patrol, who is conducting a crash investigation. This is a terrible tragedy and we are certainly sorry that it happened. Steps are being taken both internally and with the FHP in the hopes that it never happens again.”
Photos courtesy WEAR3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Secret Deal? Century Mayor to Negotiate No-Bid Anonymous Contract To Sell Town-Owned Land
January 3, 2024
Tuesday night, the Century Town Council approved the mayor’s request to allow him to negotiate an anonymous, no-bid sale of vacant residential land currently owned by the town to a private individual.
“The resident would like to make a no bid offer,” Gomez said, bringing up the item that did not appear in that agenda.
“The reason to put anonymity. It is if the property’s jacked up. It’s just tied up or the boundary lines or not clear. Is he don’t want his name out there,” the mayor said after declining to name the person or the location of the property.
“He don’t want his name out there,” he said again.
Gomez said he would work with the town attorney to draft a sale contract that will come back to the council for final approval. He said the contact, any title searches or subdivisions would take place at no cost to the town but did not identify the individual that would be responsible for the costs.
“Everything is above board with the attorney involved,” Gomez said.
“All that’s got to come back and be approved publicly by the council at a public meeting. You’ll have the name of that person. You’ll have all that information before you. The mayor can’t enter into any agreement without council approval,” interim town manager Howard Brown said.
The mayor’s request was approved 4-1 by the council, with Shelisa Abraham voting no.
Florida law allows anonymous negotiations with potential businesses for the purpose of economic development, but there’s no obvious provision to secretly negotiate with individuals for residential property.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Assault And Battery Of His Wife
January 3, 2024
A Cantonment man is accused of the assault and battery of his wife.
Dwight Wendel Boutwell, 60, was charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery by strangulation and violation of a domestic violence injunction.
Boutwell allegedly punched his wife of 21 years multiple times, hit her with an electronic extension cord, and grabbed her by the neck preventing her from breathing, according to an arrest report. He also allegedly held a kitchen knife against her neck while threatening to kill her.
Deputies noted the victim had injuries consistent with her allegations.
Boutwell remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $45,000.
Mary Holley-Lewis Named Jim Allen Elementary School Teacher of the Year
January 3, 2024
Mary Holley-Lewis has been named the Jim Allen Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
“Mrs. Holly-Lewis has been a valued member of our school community for 25 years, and her dedication to her students has never wavered. Her positivity and love for teaching make her an invaluable asset to our JAE family,” the school said.
Holley-Lewis a third grade teacher at Jim Allen Elementary School.
NorthEscambia.com is welcoming 2024 honoring the Teachers of the Year from North Escambia schools over the next several days. Escambia County’s overall Teacher of the Year will be named in February.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Issues New Appeal For Witnesses In Fatal New Year’s Day Perdido Key Crash
January 3, 2024
The Florida Highway Patrol has issued a new appeal Tuesday for information in a New Year’s Day crash that killed a 56-year old Bay Minette man and seriously injured two 23-year olds near the Flora-Bama on Perdido Key.
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on Perdido Key Drive about 500 feet from the Alabama state line.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 23-year old struck a raised pedestrian crosswalk, causing him to lose control and hit a concrete utility pole. The 23-year old driver and a 23-year old passenger were seriously injured. A 56-year old male passenger was pronounced deceased.
FHP said Tuesday they are asking any witnesses or anyone that may have assisted the occupants of the vehicle to call them at at *FHP or call Crime Stoppers.
Cantonment Woman Charged With Battery Of Her Girlfriend, Burglary
January 3, 2024
Renea Michele Stackpole was charged with battery, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, criminal mischief, forgery, uttering an altered instrument, and larceny.
Stackpole became involved in a verbal argument with her live-in girlfriend before pushing and choking her, according to an arrest report.
Stackpole is also accused of burglarizing a residence in December, stealing and later forging a check, $2,171 in cash and damaging a door in the process.
She remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Social Security Benefits Increasing In 2024
January 3, 2024
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 71 million Americans will increase 3.2 percent in 2024, the Social Security Administration said. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by more than $50 per month starting in January.
More than 66 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the 3.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2024. Increased payments to approximately 7.5 million people receiving SSI began on December 29, 2023.
“Social Security and SSI benefits will increase in 2024, and this will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $168,600 from $160,200.
One Killed In New Year’s Day Perdido Key Crash Near The Flora-Bama
January 2, 2024
A 56-year old Bay Minette man was killed and two 23-year olds were seriously injured after a single-vehicle crash early Monday morning near the Flora-Bama on Perdido Key.
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on Perdido Key Drive about 500 feet from the Alabama state line.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 23-year old struck a raised pedestrian crosswalk, causing him to lose control and hit a concrete utility pole. The 23-year old driver and a 23-year old passenger were seriously injured. A 56-year old male passenger was pronounced deceased.
FHP is asking any witnesses to call them at at *FHP or call Crime Stoppers.